WO2008003916A1

WO2008003916A1 - Processing of data of a digital file representing a multimedia content

Info

Publication number: WO2008003916A1
Application number: PCT/FR2007/051614
Authority: WO
Inventors: Eric Von Ascheberg
Original assignee: Eric Von Ascheberg
Priority date: 2006-07-07
Filing date: 2007-07-06
Publication date: 2008-01-10
Also published as: FR2903507A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a processing of data of a digital file representing a multimedia content, so as to telecommunicate this content to an authorized recipient and to limit, on the other hand, any fraudulent copying of the content for unauthorized persons. This file is: transformable, in write mode, so as to modify data; and editable, in read mode, so as to access the content. A personal identifier of the authorized recipient is obtained. The digital file is transformed, in write mode, by integrating this personal identifier into it. Next, the file thus transformed is communicated to the authorized recipient, so as to subsequently be edited, in read mode, by the authorized recipient. According to the invention, the personal identifier is scrambled in the transformed file so as to be inaccessible in write mode, but the transformed file comprises instructions for editing the personal identifier as plain text, in read mode.

Description

Data processing of a digital file representing multimedia content

The present invention relates to a data processing of a digital file representing a content, in particular a multimedia content.

It finds an advantageous application in particular to the purchase online, for example via an extended telecommunications network such as the Internet, paid multimedia content such as a newspaper in electronic format or a digital audio content (encoded for example in MP3 format) ), or digital video content.

One possible procedure is for an online buyer to order multimedia content and then for that content to be communicated to an authorized destination, for example a digital address given by the buyer. In this case, the authorized recipient can retrieve the multimedia content and use it as desired. Thus, it is preferred in one embodiment of the invention that the content be stored temporarily or permanently (at the discretion of the authorized recipient) in a memory of a content editing device. Such a device, available to the authorized recipient, can be for example a computer or a personal assistant (PDA) to display the newspaper, or a playback device such as an MP3 player of digital audio content, or other.

It will be understood then that a possible fraud, that can simply realize the authorized recipient, is to copy the file representing the content and to communicate the copy to unauthorized persons.

The present invention improves the situation.

To this end, it proposes, first of all, a method for processing data of a digital file representing a content, in particular a content multimedia, to telecommunicate this content to an authorized recipient while limiting the fraudulent copies of the content for unauthorized persons.

This file is:

- transformable, in write mode, to add and / or delete and / or modify data,

- and editable, in reading mode, to access sections of the content.

In general, the method comprises the following steps: a personal identifier of the authorized recipient is obtained, the digital file representing the content is converted into writing mode, incorporating the personal identifier of the authorized recipient, and the file is communicated thus converted to the authorized recipient, to be edited, in read mode, by the authorized recipient.

In the method according to the invention, the personal identifier is scrambled in the transformed file to be inaccessible in write mode, and the transformed file includes instructions for editing the personal identifier in clear in read mode.

In an advantageous embodiment, the personal identifier comprises a secret code of the authorized recipient, such as a bank code. Thus, the personal identifier may compromise the authorized recipient when it is edited in clear and seen by a different person. The authorized recipient will then naturally be reluctant to communicate a copy of the file that he legally received to a third person, since this third person can freely read the personal identifier of the authorized recipient when editing the content in reading mode. Moreover, it is easy to determine the origin of an abusive distribution of content since the personal identifier is immediately displayed in clear when editing the content. Moreover, if the effect The deterrent does not operate upstream; on the other hand, it will be possible, downstream, for the right holders to systematically identify the buyer responsible for the illegal distribution, to confuse it if necessary and to pursue it if necessary.

It will be understood that a compromising personal identifier, in this type of application, is typically a credit card number, an identity card or passport number, or other normally confidential data.

The integration of the personal identifier is done directly within the multimedia content itself and not in the form of a license in a separate file acquired later (as in the document of the state of the art US -6, 1 19,108). It is this method of direct integration, within the meaning of the invention, which guarantees the impossibility of separating the personal data from the content (the set being encrypted within a single file) and thus which guarantees the identification of a potential copy offender.

Another advantage of the invention is that the multimedia content, once built with the insertion of the personal identifier of its holder, is acquired, once and for all, to its holder. The holder can then dispose of it as he sees fit, for example to store it permanently on his computer, print it on paper (if it is a printable document), or other, without any more than ever before. additional verification of tenure is not implemented again. The security offered by the method in the sense of the invention is then based essentially on the reluctance of the holder to communicate his personal identifier to a third party and this security alone may be sufficient for the realization of the invention, which then allows great flexibility implementation and, hence, large-scale exploitation. However, another possible fraud, which can achieve the authorized recipient, is to access the file in write mode and remove any reference to his personal identifier. Thus, copies to unauthorized persons would be exempt from such reference. This is why the present invention advantageously provides scrambling of the identifier in the file in case of access in write mode.

Moreover, in an advantageous embodiment, the identifier is scrambled by encryption in the transformed file, an encryption key being shared between a transforming entity of the file, in write mode, and a publisher entity of the file, in read mode. For this purpose, symmetric encryption (sharing a single key) or asymmetric encryption (RSA type (for Rivest-Shamir-Andelman), or any other type with private key and public key) can be provided.

In an advantageous embodiment also, it may even be provided to prohibit by encryption means access to the file in write mode, for the authorized recipient. Thus, the file can be copied at will but without being able, in writing mode, to add and / or delete and / or modify data.

The content may be a newspaper in electronic format, and in this case, the identifier is displayed in clear, read mode, on at least one page of the newspaper (for example the cover page).

As a variant, the content may be of digital audio or digital video type, and the identifier is displayed in clear, in read mode, with data such as a title of work and / or an artist's name, on the screen a content rendering device. Other advantages and characteristics of the invention will appear on reading the detailed description given below by way of example, and on the observation of the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates the main steps of the method in the sense of the invention,

- Figure 2 schematically illustrates a system for implementing the method within the meaning of the invention.

Referring to Figure 1, a first step of the method, when executed by a processing entity of the original file data representing plain content, is to retrieve the identifier ID _^ CL of the authorized recipient (step 1 1), for example with a request to purchase online content. In the next step 12, the transforming entity encrypts the identifier ID_CL and the copy in the initial file 14, in write mode. The transforming entity also adds instructions for decrypting the identifier ID _^ CL and unencrypted display of this identifier ID _^ CL when the file will be read for editing the content in read mode. The file thus transformed (step 13) is then transmitted, for example via a wide area network such as the Internet network or the WAP or UMTS network, or the like, to an editing entity which, in step 16, decrypts the identifier ID_CL to edit it, clearly in read mode, with other sections of the content.

FIG. 2 shows a system for implementing the invention and then comprising the transforming entity of the file mentioned above and referenced 21 in FIG. 2. By way of example, a transforming entity 21 may comprise a content server and appropriate computer means to transform the initial raw FIC file. This entity 21 has the role of integrating into the file to send:

the personal identifier ID _^ CL, in encrypted form in write mode (CRYPT (ID-CL) in step 12 of FIG. 1), and instructions (INSTR (READ)) for editing the personal identifier, in clear in read mode, when the file will be read by an editor entity 22, 23, 24.

Thus, the transforming entity 21 receives the identifier ID CL (for example in a purchase request), through a wide area network 15 and sends, in response, the thus transformed file (TRANS (FIC)) to an editor entity content available to an authorized recipient.

Such an editing entity may be a desktop computer 22, a mobile telephone 23 (for example capable of reading digital audio files) or a personal assistant, or a portable computer 24. In the sense of the invention, this publishing entity is capable of to read the transformed file, as well as the instructions it contains, to edit the personal identifier in clear in read mode.

The present invention aims at such a system then including a transforming entity of the aforementioned type and at least one editing entity.

Of course, the transforming entity 21 and an editor entity 22, 23, 24 may each include a communication module (not shown) for sending the transformed file, from the transforming entity to the publishing entity, via the telecommunications network. 15.

The present invention also relates to a computer program intended to be stored in a memory of a transforming entity 21 of a system within the meaning of the invention. Such a program then comprises instructions for transforming the file including: instructions for copying and scrambling the personal identifier in the file to be transformed, and instructions for generating a set of instructions, in the converted file, for editing the identifier in clear in reading mode.

As such, the representation of steps 1 1 to 14 in Figure 1 described above may correspond to a flowchart illustrating the algorithm of this program.

The present invention also relates to the computer program intended to be stored in a memory of an editor entity of a system within the meaning of the invention. This program includes instructions for descrambling the identifier in the transformed file and editing the identifier in clear in read mode, while keeping the identifier in a scrambled form, in case of access, in write mode, to the transformed file, in accordance with the representation of step 16 of Figure 1 described above.

It will thus be understood that the implementation of the invention provides dissuasive security applied to digital content transactions, in particular content such as music, a film, a software or a newspaper and, more generally, any content that can be translated. as a sequence of bits (0 or i).

Conventional methods of protecting digital content are all coercive. The approach developed in the sense of the invention is dissuasive. It is no longer a matter of physically preventing the exchange or transmission of the files containing the digital data, but of ensuring that the customer does not want to transmit the file that has been sold to him.

For this, we insert in the file, at the time of purchase, customer-specific information, information to identify it (for example, full contact information, fingerprints, or even its DNA) and / or information that he wishes to keep confidential (for example his credit card number, with name of the holder, expiration date and cryptogram, etc., but it could also be his medical record, his bank account numbers, or any other compromising information that the online buyer does not want to disclose to strangers).

The buyer can therefore have at leisure digital content that he has acquired legally. He can copy this digital content without difficulty in the family. Nevertheless, distributing the digital content it has acquired outside the family context is to allow its identification and to transmit confidential information concerning it to third parties.

In the prior art known, two cases among the most widespread are the protection of computer software as practiced by Microsoft and Adobe companies (trademarks) and the protection of films (digital video and audio content) within very popular "DVD video".

To prevent the copying of software, the aforementioned companies operate a serial number system that the client must enter during the installation of its software. The publisher then retrieves this serial number through the Internet (or telephone) and associates it with a hardware description of the computer on which the software is installed, thereby generating an activation number which, like its name indicates, allows the operation of the protected software. In the absence of activation, the software may not work at all, or work partially or for a limited time (typically the time to join the technical service of the publisher, for example).

If the software is reinstalled later, the publisher checks that the computer has not changed. It is therefore not possible to perform multiple installations on different computers. The disadvantages for the buyer of the software include: the need for the customer to have access to the Internet to install the software in good conditions; the impossibility to install the software on several computers at the same time, for example on his desktop computer and on his laptop

(except to have a special license).

- Finally, any modification of computer (change of motherboard following a breakdown for example) is interpreted as an attempt of pirate installation and the software is automatically totally or partially de-validated.

The disadvantages for the publisher who sold the software include:

- the necessary infrastructure is very heavy (need for a standard or "hot-llne", multiple servers), putting this method of protection out of reach of small publishers;

- The protection system becomes inoperative or problematic if the client installs the software several times on computers all identical (same brand, same model), for example within a company;

- the protection can be circumvented by the diffusion of generators of serial numbers; if the backup is possible, any change of computer requires either going through an uninstallation phase on the old machine, or a phone call to someone who must manually unlock the system.

Moreover, to prevent the copying of digital content stored on DVD media (mainly movies and cartoons), the publishing industry of such content has adopted the CSS algorithm that encrypts parts of the video at the same time. using a specific key. DVD players, for their part, integrate a second key that allows decryption. The disadvantages for the DVD disc buyer are:

- the buyer can not make a backup copy of his DVD disc and if the latter is damaged or simply scratched, it is necessary to buy another disc which is contrary to the usual rules on private copying freedom;

- it is impossible to copy the digital content, for example to view it on a computer;

- there is no interoperability with products without DVD players.

The disadvantages for the DVD disc publisher are as follows: the protection system becomes totally inoperative, for all DVD-Video, as soon as any person succeeds in identifying the decryption key and diffuses it widely;

- the additional cost of rights to implement the protection system.

The advantages of dissuasive security in the sense of the invention are then:

^* for the buyer:

- Total interoperability: the file can be read by any device compatible with its format (for example, a PDF-protected log in the sense of the invention can be read on any computer (PC or Macintosh type (registered trademark)) , but also on a personal assistant (notebook, PDA), or on a mobile phone only if it is compatible with the format of the file;

- once the purchase is concluded and the file downloaded, it is no longer necessary to have access to the Internet to exploit the file. Digital content can be used anywhere without time or functionality constraints; - the digital content may be, in accordance with the usual rules above, copied unlimitedly within the family circle. It can be installed on both a desktop computer and a laptop (depending on the license granted by the publisher) or any other type of electronic device. It can be run on a new computer if the old one fails;

- the digital content can be installed on a local server (to which each member of his family could access all the members of a family sharing a home).

* for the publisher:

- the risk of digital content being exchanged or broadcast on the Internet is relatively low;

- the cost of protection is negligible and no particular technical service mobilizing teams of people is necessary

(no additional cost when manufacturing the medium receiving the digital content, whether material or immaterial);

- It is not possible to create generators of credit card numbers (unlike serial numbers) because these fake credit card numbers would be rejected by the banking system during the transaction; there is no risk of making the system in the sense of the invention inoperative because even if a decryption key is discovered, it could be changed immediately. In addition, preventively, the decryption keys can be changed regularly and are not fixed in a device (such as a DVD player);

- in case of fraud, the customer responsible for it can easily be identified, which would allow reliable and targeted legal proceedings. Some examples of embodiments are described below in three different fields (press, music and the video industry).

It is possible to protect electronic magazines dissuasive in the sense of the invention simply with existing standard tools.

The client connects to an Internet server. He finds the information useful to identify the magazine that interests him. He orders this magazine and therefore provides his credit card number, the name of the holder, the expiry date of the card and the cryptogram.

This information is merged on the fly with the standard template of the magazine provided by the publisher to obtain a hybrid PDF file containing both all the digital content of the magazine but also all banking information provided by the customer. Of course, one can imagine adding other personal information about the customer (eg its IP address, as well as the date and time of the transaction). The generated PDF file is encrypted so that the customer can not remove information about it. The client downloads the PDF file. It reads this file with the Adobe Reader utility. The latter decodes the encrypted PDF file and displays the digital content and all the information related to the credit card. In case of printing the home magazine by the client, the publisher may choose to include or not the credit card information on some or all pages (direct inlay, electronic watermark, etc.).

However, the client can copy digital content to infinity on all his computers, his organizer, and so on. It can make as many backup copies as needed. On the other hand, if it exchanges this file with strangers in point-to-point mode (or "peer to peer") or if it offers this file to a community on the Internet (for example, by downloading it in a forum or "newsgroup "), he also simultaneously disseminates bank details that can be read and used by anyone who comes to be in possession of the hybrid PDF file, which is a guarantee that the customer will actually keep the newspaper purchased within his family circle.

It is possible to protect music in a dissuasive way in the sense of the invention by creating specific tools.

The principle remains close enough to protect a digital audio content. The server contains encoded music tracks, such as MP3 (destructive compression) or Flac (non-destructive compression). During a purchase, the customer provides the requested information. These are then merged with the MP3 or Flac file and then the whole is encrypted before the client retrieves it (for download or on a CD-Rom, for example).

It remains to develop a software player (or "player") MP3 and / or Flac able to decrypt the musical content and then return it to the customer while displaying dissuasive information specific to the latter (within an ID3 tag for example). The client will then be able to use the music content as he sees fit, but he should not be tempted to share it with strangers or deliver it over the Internet.

Interoperability is also total: any MP3 player, regardless of its brand or technology (hard drive, flash card, etc.), compatible with the encryption system, will be able to play the music.

It is possible to protect films in a dissuasive manner within the meaning of the invention by adapting pre-existing tools. To order a dissuasive protected DVD video disc, the customer sends by mail a purchase order accompanied by a check that mentions his complete bank details. The publisher integrates this information into a custom-made DVD or serial (some DVD pressers are already able to individually customize each copy). The customer then receives his DVD disc by mail. For example, if they are cartoons, the customer can make a copy for the children, keeping the original DVD in a safe place. He can also lend the DVD disc to friends or copy digital content to his computer, or to a local server.

Nevertheless, if it dares to anonymously share the digital content of the DVD, the publisher can easily find his trace (his address is known since the DVD was sent by mail). In addition, all Internet users who have downloaded the file corresponding to the content of the DVD will also have retrieved the customer's complete bank details.

Claims

A method of processing data of a digital file representing content, including multimedia content, for telecommunicating said content to an authorized recipient and limiting a fraudulent copy of the content to unauthorized persons, said file being:

transformable, in write mode, for adding and / or deleting and / or modifying data, and editable, in reading mode, for accessing content sections, in which process:

- we obtain a personal identifier of the authorized recipient,

in the write mode, the digital file representing the content is converted into the personal identifier of the authorized recipient,

and the file thus transformed is communicated to the authorized recipient, to be edited, in reading mode, by the authorized recipient, characterized

in that the personal identifier is scrambled in the transformed file to be inaccessible in write mode,

and in that the transformed file includes instructions for editing the personal identifier in clear, in reading mode.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the file received by the authorized recipient is intended to be stored in a memory of a content editing device available to the authorized recipient.

3. Method according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the identifier is scrambled by encryption in the transformed file, a key of encryption being shared between a transforming entity of the file, in write mode, and a publisher entity of the file, in read mode.

4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that there is provided means for encrypting a file access, in write mode, for the authorized recipient.

5. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the personal identifier comprises a secret recipient authorized, such as a bank code.

6. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the content is a journal in electronic format, and in that the identifier is displayed in clear, read mode, on at least one page of the newspaper.

7. Method according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the content is of digital audio or digital video type, and in that the identifier is displayed in clear, in read mode, with data such as a title and / or an artist's name, on the screen of a device for rendering content.

8. System for implementing the method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises at least: a transforming entity of the file to integrate in said file:

• the personal identifier, in scrambled form in write mode, and

Instructions for editing the personal identifier, in clear in reading mode, and a content editing entity, available to the authorized recipient, capable of reading the transformed file, as well as the instructions it contains, for editing the identifier staff in clear in reading mode.

9. System according to claim 8, characterized in that the transforming entity and the publisher entity each comprise a communication module for sending the transformed file, from the transforming entity to the publishing entity, via a telecommunications network, in particular an extensive network.

Computer program intended to be stored in a memory of a transforming entity of a system according to one of claims 8 and 9, characterized in that it comprises instructions for transforming the file including:

instructions for copying and scrambling the personal identifier in the file to be transformed, and instructions for generating a set of instructions, in the converted file, for editing the identifier in clear in read mode.

11. Computer program intended to be stored in a memory of a publishing entity of a system according to one of claims 8 and 9, characterized in that it comprises instructions for descrambling the identifier in the transformed file and edit the identifier in clear in read mode, while keeping the identifier in a scrambled form, in case of access, in write mode, to the transformed file.